Understanding Dialogue, Exposition, Argumentation & Language

Dialogue

Dialogue is a text type in which two or more people share the use of words. It is the most frequent form of communication in daily life. Dialogue can be conducted directly or through other means.

Kinds of Dialogue

• Unplanned: These are spontaneous, impromptu, and without preparation, such as a conversation.
• Planned: Prepared in advance, such as a party, debate, or interview.

Exposition

Exposition is a text that presents or explains a topic.

Structure of an Exposition

• Introduction: The topic is introduced.
• Body: Paragraphs in which the subject is developed.
• Conclusion: A final summary of the main ideas.

Argumentation

Argumentation is a text that defends an idea.

Varieties of Language

Verbal language is communicated through words.

• Oral: Spread by word of mouth.
• Written: Transmitted through writing.

Varieties of Language

According to the relationship between sender and receiver, there are two types of stylistic varieties:

• Formal Variety: Careful, precise, and orderly language, with more educated expressions, spelling, and punctuation.
• Colloquial Variety: More casual and spontaneous language. Street language used with friends. Characteristics: repetitions, suspensions, exclamations, filler phrases, sayings, catchphrases, short forms, diminutives, and augmentatives.

Registers of Language

These are the speech patterns used by the speaker in a concrete communicative situation. The appropriate register must be used in each situation.

Main Registers

• Familiar: Used in family settings. Diminutives (Pili, Mabel), kinship terms (mother, uncle).
• Professional: Used in the workplace. Treatment formulas (you, sir), polite formulas (good morning).
• Juvenile: Used among friends. Fillers (like, as I say), abbreviations (prof, pen, institute).
• Amorous: Diminutives, affectionate terms.

Text

Text is the maximum unit of communication and transmits a complete meaning. The length of a text is highly variable, from a single word to a great extent.

Text Properties

• Coherence: The property by which statements convey a full sense of the text and refer to the same reality.
• Cohesion: The property by which the statements in a text are correctly related.